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Tingalls Blog - Marketing Tips & Tricks

Why Logos Should Never Start with Clipart

There aren’t a lot of hard and fast rules when it comes to designing logos. But, there is one piece of advice we could give to every designer and client in the world: You should never start designing a logo from a piece of clipart. Why do we have such strong feelings on this matter? Let’s explain… Great Logos Are About Creativity A logo has to be original, and should be created specifically for a certain business or organization. That’s essentially the opposite of what you get from a piece of clipart. Our logo design process begins with a thorough intake of our client’s background, their target audience and what […]

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Posted in Logo Design, Tips

Networking for Lead Generation: 6 Quick Tips

Are you doing lots of networking, but not getting the leads you’re hoping for? Or, thinking of mingling with other business owners and professionals but don’t know how to get started? How many times have you given out your business card at a networking event, just to have no leads? Either way, we’ve got you covered. Here are  quick tips to help you start getting more leads from every networking event… Be Selective Where You Network You can’t get leads if you’re networking with the wrong kinds of people. Even if you’re only attending events on a monthly basis, be selective about which ones you show up to. Take a […]

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Posted in Networking, Tips

3 SEO Details Business Owners Tend to Overlook

Business owners tend to understand that content and links are the main cornerstones of a search engine optimization campaign. But what they don’t always realize is that there are some other, less obvious factors that can affect their search visibility. Here are three you should definitely keep an eye on… Choose a Reliable Web Hosting Company Having premium web hosting means your website is online more often, loads quickly, and isn’t sharing server space with other businesses For just a few extra dollars a month, you can give your users a better experience and show Google that your website is reputable. Solid Link Structure Having your pages link correctly between […]

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Posted in Search Engine Optimization, Tips

Why You Need a Professional Business Card

Given that websites, emails, and social media are everywhere these days, clients sometimes ask: Do business cards still matter? Not only are they still relevant, but it’s actually more important than ever to have a professionally designed and printed business card ready to use. There are a few good reasons for this. The first is that humans are visual creatures, and we are prone to making snap decisions. When you have a crisp, sharp, and creative business card, it says something about your credibility as a professional. It tells another person, subconsciously, that you can be trusted. It also suggests that you take your work and your image seriously. Another […]

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Posted in Graphic Design, Print & Package Design, Tips

Email Virus Alert: "Ransomware"

An article shared by our partner Shawn Nesbitt, Owner of Simple Network Consulting in Madison, WI As a service to our clients, Simple Network Consulting shares updates on critical issues impacting organizations and businesses. These alerts are directed to everyone in an effort to raise awareness about current viruses or malware that are affecting businesses and home end users alike. This Alert focuses on a particular malware attack that can and will cause significant downtime and has a direct impact an organization’s ability to service customers and cause financial harm. Ransomware is where a virus (malware) gets secretly loaded on your computer or into your computer systems. It locks files, […]

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Posted in Tips

Content that Counts: The Golden Nugget

Content that counts comes in many forms. This isn’t your first day on the Internet – odds are you have a Facebook account, Twitter feed or even more. Have you noticed any patterns? Everything happens at light speed, in short tiny bursts of concentrated information. This is counter intuitive – the assumption is that audiences want detailed and elaborate explanations of services and products, events and everything else.

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Posted in Copywriting & Blogging, Marketing, Tips, Website Design

How Graphic Designers Can Up their Credibility Factor — Part 2

In the first installment of this series, we discussed six ways a graphic designer can improve their credibility factor. In part two, we’re serving up five more tips on the subject. And although we’re talking specifically about graphic designers here, these strategies really apply to any profession. No matter how much of an expert you are at your craft, these strategies will help improve your credibility, as well as your bottom line … Crystalize Your Process Set up an “external” processes with the customer that’s easy to understand. Timeline, milestones, what you need from them, etc., are all good things to flesh out upfront. Remember, for expectations to be met […]

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Posted in Tips

How Graphic Designers Can Up their Credibility Factor — Part 1

Have you ever met someone who was obviously an expert at something? Probably. But have you ever met an expert that you would absolutely never work with because you had no respect for them, or they were so un-together they had no actual credibility? As a graphic designer, in order to reach your highest potential, being an expert isn’t enough. That’s why Tingalls Graphic Design has put together the following list of things you can do to improve your credibility and gain more respect from customers. Be Yourself Don’t try and be someone you’re not, or match some perception of what you think a graphic designer should be. Let your […]

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Posted in Graphic Design, Tips

Triumphing with Twitter

To many, Twitter is quite the strange bird. Trying to figure out how to successfully use it can feel like attempting to get all the sides of your Rubik’s Cube (remember those?) to be the same color. The good news? It’s not as hard as it seems, but you’ll need to make a significant time investment if you want to triumph on Twitter. Let’s take a look at some of the best practices you can take to accomplish this, as well as whether or not Twitter is the right social media platform for your business to be on in the first place. Is Twitter Right for You? The easiest way […]

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Posted in Social Media Marketing, Tips

The Best Way to Set Up Your Blog: Subpage vs. Subdomain

In our previous series, Blogging 101, we talked extensively about many of the best practices associated with writing a blog. But what about the hierarchy of how your blog is set up? In other words, is it set up as a subpage or a subdomain of your website? If you’re not a web designer or copywriter, you’re probably scratching your head wondering what the difference is between the two. Have no fear! Tingalls Graphic Design is going to define each of them, as well as let you know which one is the better choice when you have a blog associated with a website. Your Blog as a Subdomain In a […]

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Posted in Copywriting & Blogging, Search Engine Optimization, Tips

The Best Way to Set Up a Facebook Fan Page

For many business owners, a Facebook Fan page can be a great asset in connecting with customers, sharing products or services, or stating your opinion on a topic that’s relevant to your audience. Setting up this page correctly is a critical factor in how successful it can become. We’ve seen Facebook Fan Pages set up in a way that actually hurts a business. That’s why Tingalls Graphic Design is sharing some best practices that you can act upon today. Step 1: Begin with Your Personal Facebook Page Since most people already have a personal Facebook page, we’re not going to dive into how to create one in this article. If […]

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Posted in Social Media Marketing, Tips

A New Breed of Social Media Management Tools

In a recent post, Tingalls Graphic Design reviewed three very good social media management tools. But being the geek that I am, I recently decided to do some additional research to see if the landscape for these niche products had changed. Sure enough, it has. In this article, I’d like to share two of my favorite new social media management tools — Sendible and Sprout Social — reviewing the positive and negative aspects of each. SENDIBLE I’ve been using Sendible on a weekly basis for a little over a month. I first came across this app because I was looking for a social media scheduling tool that worked with Pinterest. […]

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Posted in Social Media Marketing, Tips